Company: Bluebird (UK), Mattel (USA), Irwin Toy (Canada)
Release date: 1993
Size: +/- 8cm
Main distribution: Europe / America
Mighty Max is a series of playsets with a horror theme, similar to Polly Pocket but aimed primarily at boys. Shrunken Heads are tiny compacts existing out of a head and an unique “special” Mighty Max figure.
Each set comes with a little story how Mighty Max is facing this enemy. The back story, which is the same on all the sets, is as follows:
Max was bright and kinda good at getting out of trouble. But he’d never forget the day he broke Mum’s mysterious old statue and found the cosmic cap inside. How was he to know it made him ‘the Mighty One’, able to travel by means of the Portals, a system used by the Ancients to travel instantaneously from place to place? And how were one smart kid, his baseball cap and his two protectors, wise old Virgil and fearless Norman, gonna measure up against the ultimate evil… Skull Master!!?
The Shrunken Heads were released in 2 series of 8, resulting in 16 sets. Max-i-mise your collection of Shrunken Heads!
I got 1/16.
In some areas, they were carded in pairs, whereas in others they were separate sets.
Series 1
Pharaoh’s Curse / Mummy King
Release date: 1993
Barcode: 069545940752 (single), 074299118616 (pair)
This Shrunken Head looks like a decaying mummy’s head, with bandages wrapped around, missing teeth and bloodshot eyes.
On the back it reads in raised font: the Mighty Max logo, BBT © 93 CHINA, PATENT PENDING.
The interior reveals the inside of a pyramid. The upright section shows a large mummy, whereas the floor section shows a pharaoh mask, snake and pillar. There is a place for Mighty Max to stand.
The set comes with a unique Mighty Max figure holding a torch, but I do not have it sadly.
The story accompanying this set goes as follows:
Max is face to face with danger, cornered by the accursed Mummy King Thanatos, in a very bad mood. Max grabs a flaming torch – but can he send the pharaoh to kingdom come…?
I had never really seen Mighty Max the tv show, read the comics, or had the toys. But I had heard of the “boys Polly Pocket” and seen images.
Visiting a local school who were having a toy car boot sale, I came across a bag of Mighty Max. I instantly recognised what it was, but was unable to tell if anything was complete or matching. Regardless, they only asked for a few pounds, so I bought it.
I found some Horror Heads, a Dread Head and a Shrunken Head.
Sadly I’m missing the unique figure that comes with this set. Although I don’t intent to collect these or anything, I do love small playsets and it’s nice to have something a bit different in the toy box. If I come across more for cheap I’ll get them, but won’t actively hunt for them.
If you like tiny things, little scenes and more horror-like playsets, Mighty Max is great for you.
If you like bigger or less grotesque toys, these won’t be for you.
Got any more details / information you think I should add? Or did I get something wrong? Do you own any Mighty Max Shrunken Heads? Which one is your fav? Do you agree or disagree with my findings? Let me know in the comments below!